Helene Curtis Building to be sold

New York-based real estate firm RAK Group has signed a letter of intent to acquire the former Helene Curtis Industries Inc. headquarters building at 325 N. Wells St. for roughly $18 million, according to sources familiar with the deal.

As part of the proposed deal, Unilever, the Anglo-Dutch consumer products conglomerate that acquired Helene Curtis in 1996 and owns the building, would relocate its offices to 205 N. Michigan Ave.--a building in which RAK has an interest.

Earlier this year, Cook County eyed the 120,000-square-foot Curtis building on the north bank of the Chicago River as a new location for its Domestic Violence Court, but the deal fell through after Mayor Richard Daley weighed in on the side of River North landlords and businesses opposed to the county's plan.

RAK did not return calls seeking comment and a Unilever spokeswoman declined comment.